Joshua Wong's Preferential Detainment

Joshua Wong speaks to the media after returning from Bangkok yesterday

Why is Demosisto activist Joshua Wong Chi-fung considered a dangerous person by Thai authorities?

On the invitation of Thai student activist Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal to speak to students at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok about the 2014 Umbrella Movement, Wong flew to the Thai capital on Tuesday evening.

But the 19-year-old was detained by Thai authorities even before he reached the terminal -- he says he was surrounded by 20 police and immigration officers at the air bridge.

When he confirmed his identity, his passport was confiscated and he was detained in a cell for 12 hours where he was not told what he was being held for, had no access to a lawyer or could not notify the Hong Kong Immigration Department or family members.

Thai student activist Netwit Chotiphatphaisal invited Wong

Chotiphatphaisal was waiting at the airport to pick up Wong, but when he didn't show up, he asked airport authorities who told him hours later that student activist was detained, and so the Thai student immediately contacted Demosisto of the situation.

It turns out that Wong was detained at Beijing's request.

"Officials there have requested to take him back. It's Chinese officials' business. Don't get involved too much. They are all Chinese people no matter Hong Kong or mainland China," said junta leader and Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha.

It's shocking to hear Thailand is so keen to do Beijing's bidding, but perhaps even more so is Hong Kong Secretary for Justice Rimsky Yuen Kwok-keung's passive response to the matter.

"I personally do not believe such a matter would... require international pressure," he said, adding the incident was "purely Thailand's own handling" of an individual's entry into the country as a tourist.

So much for being concerned about Hong Kong citizens in other countries...

The Thai authorities were skittish about allowing Wong in because he would be speaking at Bangkok's leading university to mark the 40th anniversary of a student massacre, a highly sensitive time for the junta, who took power in 2014.

Thai junta leader and Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha

Prayuth's office said the junta was "aware that Mr Wong had been active in resistance movements against other foreign governments, and that if such actions were taken within Thailand, they could eventually affect Thailand's relations with other nations".

China washed its hands of the matter, only saying it "respects Thailand's exercise of immigration control in accordance with law".

While Wong criticized the Hong Kong government for not looking into this case, he also felt "very fortunate" that he had been able to return home, compared to missing bookseller Gui Minhai who was taken from Pattaya and then resurfaced on the mainland under detention.

Will other Hong Kong citizens be detained in this way too if they travel to Thailand? Will the Hong Kong government show any interest in helping them out?

This only reveals the pettiness of the government for not seeing everyone equal under the law and allowing other countries to do what they want to Hong Kong citizens.

How is this just?